Dominique Aplogan

Dominique Aplogan (April 25, 1913 – November 3, 1989) was a Beninese physician and political figure most active when his country was known as Dahomey.

Biography Dominique Aplogan was born on April 25, 1913, in Abomey in Dahomey to an influential chiefly family. He attended William Ponty school in Senegal and subsequently became a physician.

Moving back to Dahomey to practice his profession, Dominique Aplogan quickly entered politics. He ran under the label of the Dahomeyan Progressive Union for the first Territorial Council elections of his country and was elected on January 5, 1947. He failed to be re-elected in 1952 but became Deputy in 1959 for the last legislative elections under French supervision before the independence of Dahomey.

In the meantime, he was Émile Poisson’s running mate, leader of the list of the African People's Bloc, in the French legislative elections of 1951 but both lost out to Sourou-Migan Apithy of the List of the French Union and Hubert Maga of the Ethnic Group of the North who became the two deputies of Dahomey at the French National Assembly.

Despite his political commitment, Dominique Aplogan never stopped practicing his professional activity and was promoted on March 28, 1962, as chief physician of the Cotonou medical district. A few months later, Hubert Maga asked him to join his government, first as Secretary of State in charge of African and Malagasy Affairs on November 16, 1962, then as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications from September 11 to October 28, 1963 when Colonel Christophe Soglo took control of the country to prevent a civil war. The latter appointed him, on March 30, 1967, Minister delegated to the President in charge of Defence, then on May 16 of the same year, Minister of Transport and Posts and Telecommunications until a new military putsch on December 17, 1967. Dominique Aplogan was replaced by Captain Issa Raïmi Lawani.

Dominique Aplogan died on November 3, 1989.

Awards and honors